Slidable jaw face means for an open end wrench



n- 10, 1956 H. E- CRITTENDEN, JR 2,730,000

SLIDABLE JAW FACE MEANS FOR AN OPEN END WRENCH Filed July 13, 1953 INVENTOR H arrY E. Cw'ttehdeh, Jr

Ms. L07? ATTORNEY 2,730,000 U I SLIDABLE JAW FACE FOR OPEN ENDWRElSlCH H Harry Crittend'en, In, rommmitngv Application July 13, 1 9 53 Ser ial No. 367,667 7 Claims. 01. 81-179) The present invention relates to wrenches and-more particularly to open end wrenches whichoperate with a ratchet-character or quality.

The principel object of my invention is to provide an open end wrench which will" tighten and loosen nuts' or 8 bolts without necessitatingthe removal of the wrench from the nut or bolt headat each flll'nOr fraction ofa turn. This present improvementalso enables a mechanic to -operate this wrench in close places because the open end allows a lateral approach to the nut or bolt' head in contrast to an end or topapproachand allows quick smooth operation of a ratchet character.

Afurther object of this invention'is m prcvide an open end ratchet wrench which is" strong, and simple -in construction and desirable which may be manufacturedwithout complicated machining, specially made parts, assembly difiiculties and nndue changes in present-manufacturing procedures.

Withthese' objects in view this invention comprises the construction described hereinafterand illustrated inthe accompaning drawings inwhich:

Fig. l is a side elevation partly-in section crates-ranch in gripping position.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section takenon the line-22 of Fig. 1 showing howthe balls 6 and13 extend through the walls to grip the nut or bolthead.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the ratcliet' action inoperation.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the open ended wrench head before' the balls, "springs and plugs are assembled therewith.

Figs. 5 and 6 are elevational views of the balis springs -and plugs in relative positions-prior to'assenibly.

Referring to the drawings indetail my invention of the open end ratchet wrench comprises as shownin Fig. l the conventional handle 1, andbifurcatedhead2;'consisting of jaws 3 and l. A hole 5, constitutinga 'ball race "or ball track, is drilled inthe tip or open end-side of jaw 3 deep enough to allow ball 6 to contact nut7ata' point a fraction of an inch to theright of the central portion tension onthe hall 6 holdingsaid ball againstbottom bf the hole 5 for gripping position. Hole 12is drilledin jaw 4 from the handle side deep enoughfor 35111310 contact nut 7 at a pointa fraction ofan iilclrto the left of the central portion of jaw4. Spring 14 is held in place "by plugor cap 15 and keepstension on bail mergin said ball against the bottom of the hole 12 forgripping position.

Fig. 2 shows how the holes or channels 5 and 12are drilled 0E center to allow beas s and 13 toextend through inner portions of jaws 3 and 4. Since thistj pe wrench may he manntacturedlorany sizenut as isthe "conventional open end wrench; thedistance between the jaws 3 and 4 equals the distance across the corners 'ofany particular size not or bolt head. The distance between balls 6 and 13 equals the distance across of opposite flats of the nut or bolt head in question. Thisnieans that each ball for any size wrench of this type must extend through its jaw one-half the difference between the distance; across the corners and the distance across from fiat to flat of any size nut in question. This allows equal pressure to lbe applied by eachball.

United States Patent Fig. 3-isa 'side elevation, parts being moved to-sliow balls G and l3' inratehetpositionprior to'gripping action.

In Fig. l when handle 1- is" moved downward, as arrow 'i1idicates, the balls fi an'd 13 will grip the nut attheir 'pointsof contact and' tendto loosen it. In Fig.-3-when handle l is moved upv'vardlywithout-removing the wrench from the nut the corners of the nut would turn freely in the solid jaws 3and -4,-but would-push ball em the right and ball 13 to the left until the flats of the nut come into a-position again parallel with; the 'faces of the jaws 3 and -4. Radius curve- 17,-a part of the bifurcated head 2 and connecting jaws 3 and4'wou1dallow the nut to turn with amoresmooth motion thana flat orV-shaped forged one. Springs 9 and 14 would push balls '6 and13 back against the bottomsof theirrespective holes '5 and 12,

thus making ready the next gripping position.

A nnmberof necessary movements of the wrench in a back and forth motion without removing the wrench from the nut would produce-a ratchet eifect and loosen the out completely. To tighten a nut, the wrench merely has to'be reversed in position or turned on the opposite side so that the points of contact for balls 6 and 13 would be on'opposite sidesofcentral portions of the jaws. The 'same back and forth motion of the'handle would tighten a mechanic to operate in close or narrow places where the removalof a wrench from a out at every turn or fraction 'of a turn is avoided and the old retarded operation is eliminated.

Balls 6 and'lfrare ordinary steel balls. The springs 9 and l l do'not 'serve'in turning the nut except that they have enough tension to returnthe balls to the bottoms of 35 their holes aftereach movement. The position of the point of contact whenpressure is applied keeps the balls in gripping position. After theratchet action has occurred, the spring merely returns the ballto gripping fposition. Caps or plugs 10 and 15 may be of propor- 4O hammered or'pressed into place and then the open ends tionate thickness to the size of the wrench andmay be of the hole portions may be preened or upset over the plugs 'or'capsto' retain them securely in position.

Inorder to manufacture this movable ball grip wrench suitable' stock mustbeselected and since, it is practically irhpossible to drilla'hole or charinel with one side open, the 'stoc'k inusf have j'awniaterial closeenou gh to each other to provide fordrilling holes in solidrnaterial. After theholes are drilled theoppo'sed jaw faces: are cut away to expose open sides of the drilled holes sufficiently so "thatthe ball in each instance can protrude from the hole or channel to provide for the gripping action on a nut or it bolt head.

Measurements and calculations must be made whereby lines ina'y'be scribedodthe metal stock to properly locate the prospective drill holes.

ithercloc'kwise or counter-clockwise depending upon the applied position of the wrench relative to the nut. The distance between the two' ballsis equal tothe-shortest "distance between two opposed flats of the nut.

Onehalf ofthe diiference between the distances from one' flat to an opposed fiat and the distance between "opposed'corners of a inityequals the distance a ball must protrude from its channel.

An example is afifo'rded by the drawings of this application in' whi'ch the nut operated "upon is -approximately -three 'fourths of an inch from one fiat to its opposed fiat. ;-The nut. shown -is hexagonal. Theballs"6 and 13 are located-in contact with-parallel planes "which coincide corner of the nut to the opposed corner of the nut. The

difference between seven-eighths and three-fourths is one-eighth. One half of one-eighth of an inch is onesixteenth of an inch. One-sixteenth of an inch represents the approximate amount of protrusion of each ball from its jaw face.

The above formula can be used on any size hexagonal nut.

In order to choose a ball of proper size it is merely necessary to multiply the distance a ball protrudes from its jaw face, by four. Four times one-sixteenth equals one-fourth, therefore a one-fourth inch ball is required. The drilled holes should be slightly larger than one-fourth so that each ball can move freely in its channel.

It is noted that the balls do not contact the corner portions of the nuts but on the contrary engage the flats of the nuts at spaced distances from the corners. The use of applicants wrench does not distort or rear away the corners of the nuts such as other known wrenches do by directly engaging the corners of the nuts.

Large and small wrenches maybe manufactured since no complicated parts are necessary. Furthermore, an etficient wrench may be manufactured without the care and precision needed to manufacture similar wrenches.

Column 2, lines 17-25 explains how the wrench being used to loosen a nut may be turned over on opposite side to produce the tightening effect. The words On and Off could be stencilled or forged on the proper side to enable the mechanic to recognize by sight the correct approach whether to tighten or loosen as the need may be.

The paragraph at the top of page 4 explains the manut facturing and assembly of the caps and 15. It may be noted that these caps or plugs could be the screw type plug, if the manufacturer thought advisable, but this would necessitate tapping the holes and threading the caps thus requiring another operation in manufacturing the wrench.

Column 3, lines 13-18 explains how to choose the correct size ball for the wrench to be used. In smaller wrenches, however, a ball measuring three times the distance the ball protrudes from its jaw face may be used.

Wrenches for square nuts may be manufactured provided all measurements are in their proper proportions.

Having fully described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a wrench, comprising a body having a handle terminating in a bifurcated flat head, said flat head comprising jaws having substantially parallel fiat face portions opposed to each other, in combination with a pair of spring controlled contact balls, a pair of springs and means to maintain said springs and balls in operative position, each jaw having an elongated recessed portion therein to receive one of said balls and a spring plus means to retain each ball and spring in operative position within the major portion of said recessed portion, said recessed portions being reduced to provide opposed open sides whereby a minor portion of each ball may extend through the parallel jaw portions to engage a nut or bolt head of appropriate size, whereby each ball is adapted to engage directly the flat faces of the nut in a position adjacent the nearest corner of the nut relatively to said ball substantially as described.

2. In a wrench, comprising a body having a handle terminating in a bifurcated flat head, said flat head comprising jaws having substantially parallel flat face portions opposed to each other, in combination with a pair of spring controlled contact balls, 21 pair of springs and retaining means, whereby said halls and springs are retained in operative position, an elongated bored portion in each jaw to receive and retain, respectively, said balls, springs and retaining means, said bored portions being parallel to each other and having open sides arranged in opposed relation to each other, whereby a minor portion of each of said balls may extend respectively through the opposed parallel face portions of said jaws into the path of a nut of appropriate size, whereby each ball is adapted to engage directlythe fiat faces of the nut in a position adjacent the nearest corner of the nut relatively to said ball substantially as described;

3. In a wrench, an'el'ongated body terminating at one end in jaws, having substantially parallel flat faces arranged in spaced opposed relation to each other, in combination with a pair of spring controlled contact balls, a pair of springs and retaining means therefor, said jaws having parallel ball races therein to receive said balls and maintain a minor portion thereof exposed for contact with a nut of appropriate size, said balls races having permanently closed end portions, springs in said races to urge said balls toward the permanently closed ends of said races, the opposite ends of said races being closed by retaining means whereby said balls and springs are retained in operative relation relative to a nut of appro- ,priate size within the jaws of the wrench, whereby each ball is adapted to engage directly the fiat faces of the nut in a position adjacent the nearest corner of the nut relatively to said ball substantially as described.

4. The construction set forth in claim 3, in which one ball race extends inwardly from the outermost end of its jaw and the other ball race extends from the near ends of its jaw toward the remote end thereof.

. 5. In a wrench, comprising a body having a handle terminating in a bifurcated flat. head, comprising a pair of jaws 'having a pair of parallel jaw faces, one of said jaws having a drilled portion extending from the open end side to receive a partly exposed steel ball, said ball being maintained in operative position by a helical spring and a plug located in said drilled portion, the said other jaw having a drilled portion extending from the handle side to receive a partly exposed similar ball, spring and plug, said spring and plug maintaining said similar ball in operative position.

6. In a wrench, comprising a body having a handle terminating in a bifurcated flat head comprising a pair of jaws, said jaws having opposed parallel flat faces, each face being provided with a ball race having a ball therein, each ball race having a bottom in combination with a spring and plug means in each race to maintain each ball, normally when the Wrench is not in use, at the bottom of its race, said balls having a minor portion thereof and plugs, said flat face portions of said jaws being each provided with a ball race to receive said ball, said spring and plug, said ball races having bottoms, said spring and plug maintaining its ball, normally when the wrench is not in use, at the bottom of its race, a minor portion of each ball extending through the side of its race and into the path between the flat face portions of said jaws, whereby said balls may contact the opposed flat faces of a nut at a position between the corners thereof and also have the ratchet operating quality of a regular ratchet wrench.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 733,525 Worden July 14, 1903 770,699 Randall Sept. 20, 1904 1,907,584 Richards May 9, 1933 2,127,003 Nash Aug. 16, 1938 2,551,669 Hale May 8, 1951 

